Housing bond issue proposal receives support from council

Town Councilors Monday unanimously adopted a resolution in support of the Housing Works RI Legislative Platform, which recently completed a five-day, 57-mile walk from Westerly to Providence. The local vote was taken after a brief discussion about the goals of the resolution being in line with town needs and goals for affordable housing.

"We need local housing," the councilors said

The goals locally are for communities to follow state-approved plans to encourage builders to create affordable housing and on the state level for officials to support

the bill for a $75-million dollar bond for 1,500 incomerestricted housing units. At the state level, the goal is for the General Assembly and the governor to support a bill that would put a $75-million bond on the ballot this fall. If approved by voters, the money would help build 1,500 income-restricted affordable housing units.

Organizers said that 6,400 state residents were sheltered in 2005. The resolution also notes that more than 171,000 households cannot find affordable housing in any Rhode Island towns.